Reinforced d-handle.



F. SKELTON.

REINFORCED D-HANDLE.

I APP 917| l ,24:0 ,503 Patented Sept.A 18, 1917.

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FREDERICK SKELTON, OF BURLINGTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

REINFORCED :t3-HANDLE.

Application led February 19, 1917.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK SKELTON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Burlington, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Reinforced D-Handles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This inventionrelates to D-handles for shovels, spades and other tools, and more particularly to wooden handles consisting of a haft or stem having diverging arms at its upper ends between which arms is inserted a grip-bar. j

The primary object of the invention is to provide a reinforcement for a handle of this character that will protect the port-ions of the handle which might become loose, worn or broken, due to the rough usage to which ,a handle of this character is ordinarily subjected.

Other objects of the invention is to provide a reinforcement which is composed of a minimum number of pieces, which is economical to manufacture and which will rigidly unite the parts of the wooden handle.

llfith these and other objects in view, the invention contemplates a reinforcement for each arm, which comprises a ferrule or ring for engaging over the end of the gripbar, a cap for protecting the upper end of the arm, and reinforcing strip which eX- tends down the outer face of the arm for a considerable distance. The three parts of the metallic reinforcement are preferably integral and formed from a blank of sheet metal, having two projecting ears which, when one end of the blank is cupped to form the cap, are bent. to form a closed ringv with the edge of the cupped portion.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows in elevation one embodiment of the invention, the view being partially in section;

Fig. 2 shows the completed metallic reinforcement ready for assembling; and

Fig. 3 shows the blank from which the metallic reinforcement is formed.

In the drawings, the wooden haft or stem to which a shovel, spade or other tool, is secured, is indicated 1. The upper end of this stem is bifurcated to provide two arms 2 and 3 which diverge 'forming a yoke or fork. t a point just below the beginning Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 18, 191" Serial N o. 149,545.

of the bifurcation in the stem, a rivet 4 passes through the stem to prevent it fr'rn splitting. Inserted between the upper ends of the two arms 2 and 3 is a grip-bar 5.

The wooden handle described is reinforced by metallic reinforcements, each consisting of a ring or ferrule 6, which lits over the end of the gripbar,the grip-bar being of slightly reduced diameter' at its end, as indicated at 5 so that the ferrule or ring 6 is substantially flush with the surface of the grip-bar. rlhe upper ends of each of the arms 2 and 3 is protected by a cap which is formed integral with the ring 6, the cap fitting over and entirely covering the upper end of the arm. A reinforcing strip S forms an extension of the cap 7, the strip Sibeing curved, as is also the cap 7, to fit snugly against the arm. Rivets 9 passing through the arms secure the lower ends of the strips 8 to the arms. An elongated rivet or rod 10, which passes through the arms, grip-bar and caps, rigidly unites these parts and also serves to hold the grip-bar in place. The reinforcing strips S extend sufficiently down the arms to prevent them from splitting or cracking and also to protect them from wear, and since the cap portion completely covers the upper ends of the arms and the rings 6 hold the grip-bar in place, it will be seen that the construction described thoroughly reinforces a wooden D handle in a simple, but efficient manner.

The ring 6, cap portion 7, and reinforcing strip 8 are preferably constructed from a single piece of sheet metal, and in Fig. 3 of the drawing a blank from which this metallic reinforcement is made, is shown. This blank consists of an upper portion 10 which is somewhat semi-circular in form, a lower portion 11 which is of less width, and two projecting ears or lugs 12. In formingthe reinforcement, this blank is first stamped and the upper portion 10 thereofiis cupped to form the cap 7, the lower portion 11 being simultaneously curved so as to fit snugly against the outer face of the arm. Simultzv neously with the cupping of the upper portion 10', the projecting ears or lugs 12 are bent bodily through substantially a right angle, and' will assume the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. These lugs or ears are then bent and their ends are joined together as at 13, so that they will form withthe rim or edge 14 of the cupped portion or cap 7, the ring or ferrule 6 which has been described. The joining of the ends of the ears or'lugs 12 is preferably accomplished by a Welding, although it may be done in an)7 other desired manner. The finished metallic reinforcement is shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and it should be noted that a space is provided between the lower portion of the ring and the cap and reinforcing strip Which permits the reinforce mentto be slipped over the upper end of the arms when the parts of the handle are assembled.

l claim:

l. A @-handle comprising a Wooden stein having diverging arms and a grip-bar inserted therebetween, and a metallic reinforcement for each arm comprising a ring fitting over the end of the grip-bar, a cappiece concealing the upper end of the arm and a reinforcing strip secured to the outer face of the arm.

Q. A D-handle comprising a Wooden stein having diverging arms and a grip-bar inserted therebetween, and a one piece metallic reinforcement for each arm comprising a ring fitting over the end of the grip-bar, a cap-piece concealing the upper end of the arm and a reinforcing strip secured to the outer face of the arm.

3. A D-handle comprising a Wooden stem having diverging arms and a grip-bar inserted therebetween, and a one piece metallic reinforcement formed of sheet metal for each arm comprising a ring` fitting over the end of the grip-bar, a cap-piece concealing the upper end of the arm and a reinforcing strip secured 'to the outer face of the arm.

A blank for forming a metallic reinforcement for D-handles comprising a strip of sheet metal having a semi-circular portion adapted to be cupped to form a cap and ears projecting downwardly from said se1nicircular portion adapted, when bent, to form with the edge of the cupped portion a closed ring.

ln Witness whereof, l subscribe my signature.

FREDERICK SKELTON. 

